I have been participating in a reflection workshop since the beginning of December. I also took part in this workshop last December. It is a wonderful way to conclude a year.

One of our recent prompts for introspection was: ‘Where did you own your value this year?’ To unpack this prompt, I used the following rationale: To understand where I owned my value this year, I first need to comprehend what it means to own my value.

When I have an object I am looking to sell, one of the first things I need to do is advertise it at a certain price. This price represents my understanding of the object’s value. I can negotiate to sell it for less, or I can decide that its price is non-negotiable.

I own its value.

The same holds true for self-worth. In my day-to-day interactions, I ‘offer’ a bit of myself everywhere I go, and I receive something back from every interaction. Even sharing in our reflection group is an interaction from which I gain something, whether through introspection and learning something new about myself or through the feedback and support from the other group members.

I get to decide if what I receive back from my interactions is sufficient to make it worth my while. Owning my value is when I decide, ‘No, I am worth more than this. I am not going to settle for less.’ To own my value does not mean thinking I am better than others. It is not a comparison to what others value themselves or are willing to settle for. It is a personal decision about the treatment, service, money, or whatever I am willing to accept or live with.

Where did you own your value this year?